Attaching means for name plates and other articles



Oct. 5 1926.

A. L. NEWMAN ATTACHING MEANS FOR NAME PLATS AND OTHER ARTICLES Filed Feb.

W 7776777524* y l y Patented Get. 5, 1926..' UNITED STATES DATENT FFQCE..

ALMYR L NEWMAN, or WARWICK, nncnn ren/inn, nssieNon ro A. L. NEWMAN COMPANY, OF CRANSTCN, RHODE ISLAND, A GORE()RA'ONv OF RHODE ISLAND.

ATTACI-IING MEANS NAME ELATES AND OTHER ARTICLES.

Application led February 3. 1926. Serial No. 85,708.

This invention relates to improved means for attaching; name-plates, emblems, medallions or other devices to any certain object, particularly for attaching manufacturers name-plates or insignia-bearing devices to the radiator shells of motor vehicles.

'A principal object of the invention is to provide means whereby the name-plate or other device may be fastened securely in place on the front of the radiator shell or other structure by forcing its attaching means into a depression or orifice therein.

Another object of the invention is to pro-V vide an attaching' means Which Will loclr the name-plate or other device permanently in place on the shell or other structure to prevent its accidental release under jar or vibration, and also to prevent it from being pried off.

Another object of the invention is to pro-l vide an attaching means for the name-plate or other article which may be more readily and conveniently applied to use Without requiring skill or eXpertness on the part of the workman or the use of tools.

Another object of the invention is to provide an attaching' and locking means for the name-plate or other article which is simple in construction, more economical to manufacture and generally more efficient and durable in use.

Further objects of the improvement are set forth in the following specification which describes a preferred embodiment of the invention as illustrated by the accompanying drawings. In the drawings t# Fig. l is a perspective view of a portion of the hood of a motor vehicle showing a conventional form of name-plate or emblem applied to its radiator shell;

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view taken through the center of the radiator shell and illustrating; the attaching means on the name-plate as being entered intothe orifice in the shell;

Fig. 3 is a similar sectional view showing the name-plate seated in a recess on the front of the shell with the attaching means 'forced into the orifice thereof to lock the plate in position;

F 4 is a view of the back of the nameplate or emblem showing the construction of the attaching means which projects therefrom;

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the resilient ring or annulus which acts as the locking or tgripping device for the attaching means; and

Fig'. 6 is an enlarged plan view showing the means for fastening together the ends of the helical coil constituting the gripping means.

rlhe present invention consists in general in providing the name-plate or other article to be attached with a resilient ring or annulns connected thereto in such manner that it will be compressed when forced. into the orifice in the radiator shell or other structure, whereby its inherent springtendency will cause it to impinge against and frictionally grip the interior walls of the orifice to hold the plate securely in position on the shell.

.In Fig. 1 of the drawings S designates the sheet-metal shell or shield which encloses the top and sides of the cellular radiator-structure R on most types of motor vehicles, and to the front of which is usually attached a naine-plate, medallion or other ornamental insignia-bearing device P. The name-plate or emblem P may be constructed as a sheetmetal stamping and is generally embossed, enameled or otherwise ornamented on its face. lt is the preferred practice to attach such devices to the radiator shell without the use of solder, rivets, screws, or other means necessitating: mechanical operations either before or after the shell has been assembled on the radiator. Forthis purpose various typesvof concavo-conveX, coniform and irregularly-shaped deformable disks and rings have been employed. but most of these have not been found entirely satisfactory to effect a secure and permanent bond between the plate and the radiator shell. In the present improvement the attaching means is not dependent on the distortion or deformation of the locking element to provide the gripping action7 the gripping; member being inherently capable of contraction and expansion without distortion and therefore without liability of weakening or rupturing the metal from which it is constructed.

As shown in the present drawings the insignia-device or emblem l? tal-:es the form of al substantially fiat plate of rhexagonal outline. In other examples, however7 it may be of different contour -and in some cases of generally concave-convex shape in cross-section. ln some instances it may be held fiat against the front ot the radiator shell S, While in others it may be seated in a recess or depression s as illustrated most clearly in Fig. 8. The front of the radiator shell S is provided with an orifice 2 which may be formed by tlanging the metal inward y in a cylindrical rim or annulus 3.

As one embodiment et the present invention, the back ot the plate or emblem l) is provided With a channeled flan-ge or annulns 4 having an outside diameter slightly less than the inside diameter ot the oriice 2 to adapt it to slide freely thereinto. Conveniently, the flange or 4anmilus -4 may be constructed ot sheet-metal with an outwardly flaring rim 5 at one side thereof which is adaptedlto be soldered, brazed., Welded or otherwisesuitably secured to the back or the plate or emblem 'The opposite or outer edge ot the annulus 4 is also swaged or formed into :an upstancing flange or rim t3 which .merges into the -main portion ot the annulus 4 with a rounded contour. In this Way the annulns 4 is provided With a peripheral trou-gh or channel adapted to receive the spring-ring or annulus 7 Which acts as the locking means for the name-platehe spring-ring or annulus 7 is shown in perspective in Fig. 5 ofthe drawings, and preferably it consists or" fa helically Wound strip .or Wire 8 having the ends joined together to prov-ide a continuous flexible band or strap. Preferably, the lstrip or Wire 8 from Which the .annulus is .constructed is of square or rectangular crosssection, and the -coils or loops of the helix are `flattened lon their longitudinal axis, as indicated more particularly in Figs. 2 .and

'3. The ends of the Wire 8 in the continuous coil or'h-elix may bevsecured'together in V.any suitable manner., a convenient method susceptible ot considerable expansion to adapt it to be stretched over the lined ring or Iannulrs 4 on the back ofthe name-plate l?, .and its inherent spring tendency ivill cause it to contract to seat snugly in the channel thereof as shown in Figs. 2,8 and 4. At the same tinie7 the individual loops or coils ot wire in the annulus 7 have sutilcient rigid-ity to normally .maintain them the `shape illustrated in Fig. 2, with the 'outer periphery ot the -annulns j'ot slightly larger diameter than the interior of the .oriiice 2 in the radiator shell S.

To attach the name-plate or device P to the iront ot the radiator shell S the inner rim of the r'gid annulus 4 is entered into the mouth ot the orifice 2, as shoivn in Fig. 2, and by exerting sutiicient pressure on the front ot the name-plate the attaching means may be forced back into the flange 3 until the plate l) seats in the depression s on the trontot the shell. As the attaching means is forced into the orifice 2 the coils or loops oit the flexible annulus 7 vrill he compress-ed or tlattened in the manner illustrated in Fig. 3. rlhis compression of the helix `causes i to bind firmly against the bottomv and side flanges ci the lined annulus 4. While its peripheral surface will be forced into trictional engagement With the inner Walls oi the orifice 2 to securely grip the latter.

This gripping` yaction of the flexible and contra-ctible annulus 7 on the interior ci the .se 3 ot .the radiator shell S provides a .substantially positive locking or clogging action which `etfectually prevents Withdrawal oit the attaching .means from the orilice under considerable stresses and strains. llloreover, the relatively sharp lateral edges of the coils or loops of Wire inthe helix bite against the interior Walls ot the orilicep2 to prevent the namfe-plate from being turned or rotated with respect to `the shell. vln this Way the name-plate, emblem or other device is securely fastened in position to prevent its release .under jar, vibration or other strain, and also to hold it against turning to prevent it from becoming misplaced on the radiator shell.

1With Ythe improved attaching Ymeans as above described it is practically impossible to remove the name-plate from the radiator shell even With a prying action under its edge, the joincler :between theplat-e and the structure to Which it .is .attached being substantially permanent and unyieldable for all time. The improved `att-aching means is eX- tremely simple in construction, convenient and economical to manufacture, and does not require .accurate machining or other operations to render it capable ot iitting the orifice. Furthermorathe attaching means is 'self-,adjustable and self-conformable, so that if .the size or shape ot the openings or oriiices in .the radiatorzshells varies to ,any degree it Will not diminish orimpa-ir the gripping ett-'ect .of the attaching means. The improved device is therefore much easier to construct and apply to use and practically universally vadaptable for all types of radian tor shells or other structures to which the nameplate yor other .article is to be attached.

-lihile I 'have herein illustrated a preferred form Vof construction :of the improved device, it is obvious that various modications may be made therein Without departing from the spirit or scope ot' the invention.

Therefore, Without limiting myself to the exact details as herein shown and described I claim like spring-elements adapted to be compressed when the annulus is forced into the orice to cause it to frictionally grip the interior thereof to resist Withdrawal or displacement of the article.

2. Means for attaching a name-plate or other article to another object or structure having an orice, comprising in combination With such article, a contractihle annulus mounted thereon and consisting of a helically coiled band having a peripheral circumference greater than that of the orifice to adapt it to be forced thereinto to cause it to frictionally grip the interior thereof.

3. Means for attaching a name-plate or other article to another objector structure having an orifice, comprising in combination 25 with such article, a rigid annulus on the article, and a contractible annulus consisting of a helical coil surrounding the rigid annulus/and susceptible of being constricted When forced into the orifice to adapt it to 30 frictionally grip the interior thereof.

4L. Means for attaching a name-plate or other article to another object or structure having an orifice, comprising in combination with such article, a rigid annulus projecting 35 therefrom and provided With a circumferential channel, and a helically coiled hand seated in the channel surrounding the annulus, and adapted to he compressed When forced into the orifice to cause it to frictionally grip the interior thereof.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

ALMYR L. NEWMAN. 

